


It'd Be Better if I Stayed

by Anonymous



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Raven is bad at chess, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-01
Updated: 2014-11-01
Packaged: 2018-02-23 11:01:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2545178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Raven spent her time with Charles during the day, they were often in the library playing chess. It was never her game, but without Erik her brother needed a new partner and she was the only one willing to take up the part.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It'd Be Better if I Stayed

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [Raven_First_Class](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Raven_First_Class) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> What if in First Class, Raven chose to stay with Charles?

The world had become one horrific tableau in a matter of seconds. The sand, the sunny sky, the beautiful blue ocean, they all were things that at any other occasion would have been inviting for the happiest of moments. Instead it was a motherland for nearly destroyed battle ships of American and Russian descent. A destroyed plane. A submarine almost completely stripped of its metal with Sebastian Shaw’s corpse in front of it. 

And worst of all? Right in the middle of it all was Erik and Charles.

Raven had felt her world’s axis become uneven when they first met Moira. She had given them a chance to be important, a chance to no longer hide what they were. That’s all Raven had ever wanted. And then it all swept her up and pulled her in so many directions that she’d lost herself yet found herself at once. She’d accepted Mystique was who she was and the X-Men were her family. It was no longer just her and Charles against the world.

Now here they were with a choice on her shoulders. Go with Erik, the one who’d opened up this chance of acceptance as the blue skinned mutant, or join Moira’s side to help her wounded brother. Why was it that after so long of a life with Charles that she was hesitant to make a choice?

Her feet moved before her brain came up with any answer, limping her away from Beast, Havoc, and Banshee. She could hear someone start to try following her-Hank, probably-but the other two stopped him. Raven knew everyone’s eyes were on her, waiting for her choice to be made. Charles and Erik both looked like a piece of them were broken. Erik knew how to hide it better, though. She couldn’t get herself to look at his hand outstretched in offering as she walked past the other mutant so that she could fall to her knees next to Charles and Moira.

“You should go with him.” Was the first thing spoken, her dear brother’s face full of resolve under the pain. Raven felt her heart ready to break at that, and her hand moved on its own to take ahold of his.

“You promised me you wouldn’t ever read my mind.” She replied in a cracked voice.

“There’s a many great deal of things I promised, I’m afraid.” He said in return, pressing a kiss to her hand. The detachment felt worse than anything she’d undergone here on the beach. It was worse than the moment of fear that rushed through when the missiles had been hurling towards them.

That was what made the decision for her once and for all.

“Well I’m giving you a chance to fulfill all of them.” Raven stated, tightening her grip on his hand so the contact wouldn’t be broken. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Charles.”

Shock flittered across the wounded man’s face, but his own grip tightened as he nodded slightly, his eyes daring to look past her to Erik.

The older mutant looked like he was betrayed even further. It was a fight he was already losing, one that he wasn’t going to continue any further with the loss of the two people he’d allowed himself to cherish. Erik’s gaze moved to the three boys still standing in tenseful wait, nodding at them before he moved away and they came rushing towards them. There was no further goodbye as Erik vanished with his three mutants, all the focus shifted on getting Charles help.

One of the American ships had sent help to them. Each of them had been looked over, but Raven had refused to leave her brother’s side. Part of her felt like it was her fault that Charles would no longer have the capability to walk. Then that part had slowly turned to anger at Erik since he was the real cause of it, until it all faded into a numb acceptance. Hatred had been the unintended cause to it. Raven stayed by her brother’s side as he recovered.

Dreams became full of Erik’s face covered in hurt and betrayal but she soon found other things to let herself dream of. Raven no longer kept her true form hidden, something she could still thank the metal bender for even now. She spent her time helping Hank, both trying to teach him the same acceptance and trying to find something that could help Charles walk again. She’d watch Sean and Alex through their training.

But most of the time, Raven stayed with Charles. She liked to make him tea and have him read to her like usual, even now his lap was still comfier than most pillows. They all found ways to focus on something happy to forget the pain of Erik being gone. And the fact Moira’s memory had been erased for their protection didn’t help too much. Their family had shrunk again with losing two more people. Maybe that’s why they grew into a tighter, loving one. It was still home.

When Raven spent her time with Charles during the day, they were often in the library playing chess. It was never her game, but without Erik her brother needed a new partner and she was the only one willing to take up the part. Already three moves in, and she knew she was losing again.

“Sometimes I do think you’re cheating.” She voiced, giving a dirty look as he took her bishop. The brunet just chuckled and gave her a smile.

“Raven, I would never cheat at such a rigorous game. I do like exercising my mind in ways that don’t involve my mutation. I thought it’s been long established your skills aren’t at par yet.”

“Or maybe you’re just too good at playing the smartass and love showing people up.” She countered.

“Now that is absolutely absurd.” Charles said, appalled. The blue girl rolled her eyes and moved her rook. Their game continued in a comfortable silence for a few more moves, her eyes watching the telepath every little while.

“I’ve been thinking about what I should be doing when the school opens up.” Raven started, her eyes narrowing in concentration to make an attempt at beating out her brother with the next move.

“You have?” He asked, his voice holding his excited curiosity.

Raven nodded and made her move only to curse when Charles countered it flawlessly. “I was thinking I could be the pretty face to welcome them and show them around when they first get here.” She started. “You know, show them my lovely talents, give the tour. Then of course maybe I can teach them some defense moves or something.”

Charles looked up at his sister with an arched brow at the last comment. “Defense?”

“Yeah, you know. Self defense.” She shrugged, trying to keep it casual even though she could see the gears turning in his head. “Even with abilities everyone should at least know some self defense, Charles. In case something happens.”

“And what kind of ‘in case’ are we talking about?” The telepath questioned, sitting up straighter and crossing his arms.

Raven sighed, giving her brother a look. “You know what kind.”

"Has he been contacting you?" He asked. There wasn't a need to specify who, it was only ever one person they could be talking about.

"No." She answered without any hesitation, a little hurt he would suspect it at all but a part of her understood. One could only take so much heartbreak, and he'd believed she was going to leave too that day. "If Erik had tried to get in touch, you would know. He doesn't need to be in touch for me to be thinking about this idea."

Charles said nothing, his expression saying all he needed it to. Raven sat back, crossing her legs as she dared him to say what she knew he was thinking.

“Raven,” He said softly, an edge hanging onto it. “This school is only for teaching the students how to work their abilities. It is so every mutant can feel accepted and they won’t have to be afraid of causing harm out in the world that makes them feel like they aren’t the same.”

“Except they _aren’t_ the same, Charles.” Raven cut in. “You’ve already understood that. Living in peace with human kind is going to take a lot of work. But if they can’t fully accept them, not just hide them away like you do, then what are we really teaching them? Not all of us are safe, and fear is a powerful thing, you saw what it did in Cuba.” Charles tensed up at the mention, but she continued on. “They need to be able to defend themselves along with controlling their abilities. Not all of them are going to have something they can hide like you and Sean and Alex. Some will have excessive strength or speed, or be like me with some physical abnormality.”

The telepath rested his fingers against his temple, not to look into Raven’s mind but out of habit. His brows were creased in thought, a pensive expressive taking shape. He knew she was right and it was easy to see. And Raven knew he wouldn’t be able to argue against it this time.

The silence was broken when Charles’s expression grew into worry before he gave a sigh, shaking his head. “It seems that Alex is looking for you. Sean’s been injured.”

“Please tell me Sean didn’t scream wrong jumping off the roof again.” She sighed, rising from her seat.

“That boy needs to reduce his use of cannabis.” Charles mused with shake of his head.

“I’m tempted to be the one who tosses his stash away.” She looked over her shoulder at the brunet, giving a smile of apology. “I better go make sure Sean didn’t give himself a concussion this time.”

“We can continue this game later.” Charles nodded, wheeling away from the board to grab a book from the desk.

“Charles?” She spoke out as she paused at the door.

“Yes, Raven?”

“I love you.” The yellow-eyed girl said. “I stayed with you for that very reason. I think it’s great you want to see the good in everyone. But please don’t confuse that with reality.” She continued in warning before turning and walking out. It hurt sometimes to have formed such a vastly different understanding about the world than Charles. But that would never cause her to leave his side. Even now, it was still them against the world, just with more on their side. They weren’t alone in this. Not anymore.


End file.
